A new government. A new approach? A chance to look at fresh ideas? This new Labour administration has a
huge majority and so all of the power it needs to effect change, and from its first actions seems intent on
just that. It promises a fresh approach to the critical issues of the day, from housing, education, transport,
the environment and crime, to name but a few.
Great so far, the mantra across every department being Take Back Control. As you would expect from a left
wing government who believe that the State can and will run our infrastructure and public services better
than a private sector, who they believe are driven only by profit. Never before do I remember seeing so
clearly the basic ideologies of our two main political parties laid out so starkly.
And so to Drug Law, where we are toiling under a 53 year old Act (The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971) which was
never fit for purpose, that has underpinned and helped create the drug market now responsible for a vast
percentage of all crime, and the national disgrace that is our drug death record over the last 15 years. It is
outdated, unworkable and consumes vast amounts of our precious resources. So where does it fit into this
barrage of fresh thinking, where our trains are being taken back into Government control, along with an
array of other of enterprises. Ignored entirely. Our new Prime Minister simply says they have no plans to
even look at the issue.
This flies totally in the face of public opinion. More and more of us are realising that drug use and supply
should never have been a criminal matter at all. That enforcement is doomed to fail. That we cannot arrest
our way out of the situation. So why not at least explore the opportunity we have to actually take control
of this market place, because it is not going away. Should we not at least be talking abut it? Regulation is
used in every field of modern life, from the food we buy, the goods we acquire to the transport we use.
Everything. And yet we choose to leave this market place and the safety of drug users (including our own
children and grand children) entirely in the hands of criminals and profiteers.
Ironically we call the substances I refer to as Controlled Drugs. They are entirely out of our control or even
site but it's surely time that we did take that control away from the very worst of people currently making
vast sums at the expense of us all.
Here is a short video from a wonderful organization who have been canvassing for over 20 years for Drug
Law Reform. We can all get involved, simply by sharing, if you care.
